The Art of the Tattoo
by Melchy
Summary: On a visit to see Candy at MIT, mother and daughter decide to get a tattoo, an action that causes a surprising revelation from Captain Gregg.


The idea for the story was based on something I read in a book called _Ethnic Style _about how the natives of New Zealand tattooed all of their visitors and the reason intrigued me. Thanks to Susan G and Denise G for giving me a good way to start it. And for Susan who provided me with some great tattoo jokes! This story holds many good memories. Dedicated to the Summer of Boston 2002.

The characters of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir belong to 20th Century Fox and David Gerber Productions. I make no money off of them but do enjoy borrowing them from time to time.

Kathy

"Can I help you, ma'am?" the girl asked, looking from her book. Even though she was sitting at a desk that said 'sign in and information', she viewed the older woman standing in front of her as an annoyance.

"I'm here to see Candace Muir." the woman informed the colliegate, wondering when college students had all started to look twelve years old.

"Oh." the young woman's face brightened. "You must be her mother. Of course you are, she looks just like you a little. Candy said you were coming. I'll ring her now and tell her you are here."

"Thank you. I would appreciate it."

"Are you really Carolyn Muir?" a tall red-head coming down the stairs ran over to her. "I'm Jane Thomas. I've read all of your books Mrs. Muir. Will you autograph them for me while you're here?"

"I'd be glad to." Carolyn smiled, still surprised that people read her books.

"She'll be right down.' the information girl said. "Enjoy your stay, Mrs. Muir. " and she went back to her book.

"Mom!" Carolyn heard her daughter squeal. Looking up towards the staircase she half expected to see a six-year old, her short blonde hair framing her face, her front tooth missing, a skinned knee sticking out from under her dress. What she saw overwhelmed her.

The girl walking towards her was definitely not a girl -- woman was much better description. Her hair was long and hung past her shoulders, She looked taller than Carolyn had remembered and she had an enviable tan. Her long legs were accented by her short skirt and high-heeled sandals, her pink top bringing out the color in her cheeks.

"Candy?" Carolyn was almost afraid to hug her, but her daughter launched herself into her mother's arms.

"I'm so glad you made it, Mom. We are going to have the best weekend."

She held her daughter out at arm's length, still trying to comprehend that this fully grown sex-symbol was her daughter. This was not the little girl she had put on a plane to St. Thomas Island with her room mate five months ago. No, Candy had disappeared and this woman had come in her place.

"What's the matter, Mommy?" Candy looked into her mother's emerald eyes. "Aren't you happy to be here?"

"Of course I am, darling. It's just that you are so, so grownup!"

"Oh Mom." Candy rolled her eyes. "Come on up to my room, the custodial staff will bring your bags up in a minute. I still can't believe you're here. We are going to have so much fun."

Carolyn followed her up the stairs, into a room at the end of the hall. Sophie Marjack, Candy's roommate looked up when they walked in the door, coming over to give Carolyn a hug. "I'm so glad you're here, Mrs. Muir." she welcomed. "You can have my bed while you're here."

"And where are you planning to sleep?" Sophie and Candy had been roommates since their first year at MIT. Sophie's mother and step-father lived on the island of St. Thomas and they had invited the girls to visit them for the summer. Even though Carolyn had been hesitant to let her go, certain residents of the house had been insistent that Candy was a big girl and needed the adventure. If he could see Candy now, would he still be so agreeable to it?

"I have a place." Sophie smiled. "Don't worry about me, Mrs. Muir. Candy, Jack called, he will be at work from 4-10:00."

"Thanks, Soph. Mom please make yourself at home. I'm going to take a shower and change now that you're here and then we can go get something to eat and walk around Cambridge." Candy kissed her mother and went out the door carrying a change of clothes and a towel.

"Thank you for letting Candy come home with me for the summer." Sophie said, sitting back down at her desk. "We had the best time. And just for the record I did try to get Candy to write more often, but she doesn't have your talent with pen and paper."

"Oh, I know how it is, when you're having that much fun, you forget to write. I'm just sorry that I wasn't home when you came back to school and I'm just now getting around to seeing the both of you."

"And how is Martha doing?" Sophie asked with real concern. "Candy told me you went out to San Francisco to stay with her after her heart attack, since her sister couldn't because of their mother."

"She's doing much better, thank you. She's back to her old self, but she needs to learn to take it easy. Cecily, her niece, watches out for her but with a family of her own it's hard. And it's hard for Martha to remember not to work, just relax."

Candy came back into the room, looking much more like the fresh-faced tom-boy that Carolyn remembered.

"Duane's downstairs for you, Sophie." she told her room mate, "and can I borrow your blue dress?"

"Yes, you can and thank you and I'll see you around campus." Sophie picked up a suitcase and went out the door with a final goodbye.

"So Mom, tell me everything." her daughter begged. "How is everyone? Did Jonathan get off to school okay?"

Jonathan had recently started his freshman year at Maine University in Portland. "He's doing fine. He used to call home every night but he doesn't anymore. I guess he's getting acclimated. It is so quiet around the house, with both of you gone."

"Finally peace and quiet for you to get lots of writing done." Candy smiled. "Not to mention a return of peace and privacy for the Captain."

"Are you kidding?" Carolyn couldn't help but smile at the thought of her resident spectre. "For a man who has bellowed for peace and privacy the last 13 years, he has the worst case of empty-nest syndrome I've ever seen. He misses you and Jonathan much more than he'll admit. He's pathetic."

"He really does miss us?" Candy smiled even bigger. "I miss him very much. I wish there was a way he could come visit."

"You could come home more often." Carolyn suggested lightly to her daughter. "It wouldn't hurt you or anything."

"I know." she sighed. "But I really wanted to go see Sophie this summer and we both agreed that I should stay and work last summer and Grandma and Grandpa really wanted me to go spend Christmas with them."

"My popular daughter." Carolyn walked over to the mirror, giving her daughter a hug. "I'm glad you could squeeze me in for a weekend."

"Oh Mom. We are going to go to my favorite place to eat and then I want to show you around. And then we can talk about our plans. I want you to have the best time."

The restaurant was a typical college hangout, reminding Carolyn of her own college days. It was the type of place where you got a booth in the back, ordered food and then ignored it while you sat holding hands and whispering nonsense to one another.

Candy was greeted by several students and staff and she flashed a brilliant smile at all of them. A overly tall, handsome kid, yes that was the word, kid, came up to Candy with a wide smile and bent to kiss her. She kissed him before informing him in a low voice to stop because this was her mother.

"Oh hello, Mrs. Muir." he became an instant gentleman. "It's so nice to meet you. I'm Jack Kennedy."

Carolyn looked the blonde blue eyed boy over and smiled. "Very popular name."

"I get teased about it a lot but it does get me some attention. Let me show you to your table." He lead them to a table towards the back and Carolyn wondered if this was the one where her little girl came and sat to whisper sweet-nothings to Jack Kennedy. Handing them a menu, Jack whipped out his notepad and looked at Candy expectantly. "Usual?"  
he asked her.

She nodded. "Get anything you want, Mom, it's on me."

Carolyn looked over the menu briefly, giving Jack her order. After he left, she started to say something, but then decided to keep her mouth shut. Being the mother of grown children certainly wasn't easy and she wondered if it had been this hard on her mother.

"I was going to tell you about Jack." Candy's face turned slightly red. "I want to bring him home at Thanksgiving so the two of you can get to know one another. If you think that would be all right?"

"I'm sure it would be fine, Candy." she managed to say. "I'll make sure it will be okay."

After the food was brought, they began catching up on the time that had passed since they last talked. "We can go see the city tomorrow. I know you've been to Boston a zillion times but I bet you never get to just walk around and enjoy the city."

"It has been many years since I was able to take the time to do that." Carolyn agreed. "Usually I'm shopping or talking to a publisher or magazine editor. I would love to see some of the sites."

After finishing their meal and saying goodbye to Jack they headed out into the crisp fall night, Carolyn glad she had worn a sweater. The campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was really rather spectacular she thought, with all of the different styles of architecture. "How do you keep from getting lost?" she asked her  
daughter. "I always thought the University of Pennsylvania was huge but this goes on for blocks."

"You get used to it after awhile. Last year I kept being late for class because I couldn't remember how to get back. But you learn. It's really not much bigger than Schooner Bay if you think about it that way."

Carolyn chuckled at the thought of a college campus being the same size as Schooner Bay. It was a scary thought. Candy tucked her hand through her mother's arm and kissed her cheek. "I know I keep saying it but I'm so happy you are here. In my classes they call this mother-daughter bonding but I think it's just good to spend time with one another. Sometimes I feel like I'm growing up too fast."

"I know the feeling," Carolyn agreed. "It happens to all of us. And it's happening to me again, watching you."

"I've been thinking, Mom, that we should do something together that will be a lasting memento of our time here. Something that we will always have with us."

"And what would this thing be?" Carolyn was curious. "A picture?"

"Not exactly. I think we should um, I think we should get a tattoo."

She said the word so fast Carolyn wasn't sure she had heard it right. "Did you say tattoo?"

"Yes, ma'am." Candy smiled. "Sophie and Duane got one and it's such a nice way to link two people together. And I think it would be fun."

"But Candy, tattoos are for men in the army and sailors and people like that. Women don't..."

"They do now, Mom. It's like a fashion statement. And you wouldn't have to get it where anyone could see it, just where you know where it is and what it means to you. Please, Mom."

Carolyn sighed letting her breath out slowly. It might be fun at that and it would definitely be an usual way to have a bond to her only daughter. But just like that? Shouldn't they think about it first? She voiced her thoughts to Candy.

"Okay, I'll admit I've thought about it all day, but just today, and I know this is kind of sudden and I've always admired you, Mom, because you think everything through so carefully and you plan and weigh pros and cons, but just this once, couldn't you not and just do it? You know, live for the moment like some famous guy said. When was the last time you did that?"

A strange look crossed Carolyn's face and she suddenly looked even younger than she already looked, Candy thought. "A very long time ago." Carolyn said softly. "I still can't believe I had the nerve to do it."

Candy looked down at her mother curious as to what it would have been. "I eloped with a man I had only known a week, when I was engaged to someone else." she said it matter of factly.

"And how did it turn out?" Candy held her breath.

Her mother didn't hesitate for a moment. "So, where do we go to get the tattoo?"

As they walked to the place that Sophie had told Candy about, they made plans for their weekend, confirming Boston for Saturday and deciding to drive up to nearby Rhode Island and tour the Newport Mansions. As they got nearer to their destination, Candy became less talkative and she slowed some in her walking.

"What is it, Candy?" her mother asked, wondering if perhaps the girl had lost her desire to go through with it.

"There is one more thing I forgot to tell you." and she turned a nice shade of red. "It is illegal to get a tattoo in Massachusetts."

"Illegal?" Carolyn couldn't believe she heard the word right. "Did you say it's illegal?"

"Yes, that was the word I said all right. It's against the law in this state. But if wait until we go to Rhode Island you might lose your nerve and so might I." she admitted. "Here it is." Candy pointed to a store front that said it was a hair salon. "Sophie says the tattoo parlour is in the back."

As they walked in and were directed to the back by a girl sporting several tattoos on her arms, Carolyn noticed that Candy didn't look any more confident than she herself felt. A man who looked like a normal person came out from behind a curtain to greet them, eyeing both women appreciatively. He told them they would get them in as soon as possible and here were some books they could go through to pick what kind of tattoo they might like. He handed each of them a hard-backed magazine and headed back behind the curtain.

"Hey Jim," a voice from called out. "Aren't there two O's in Bob?"

Candy and Carolyn looked at each other in apprehension. "I'm sure it was a joke, Mom." Candy tried to reassure her. "It would have to be."

Carolyn nodded. "I'm sure it was."

Carolyn flipped through the book she had been given, intrigued with the many different designs. It seemed that anything was fair game when it came to putting it permanently on your body. There were pictures of birds, flowers, fish, the outlines of states, flags, stars, ships, naked women, hearts, demons, horses, just about anything you could think of.

She lingered over the section of Chinese symbols but decided they would hurt too much, they looked very detailed. She looked up when someone pulled back the curtain and watched as a heavy set man with a huge moustache came through, his face red. "I'm sorry I ran out of red halfway through on yours." the faceless voice said. "But pink is close enough isn't it?" The man grunted, laid some money down on the table and went out.

Carolyn and Candy looked at one another and for one brief second almost walked out.

"We aren't going to chicken out." Candy said firmly and Carolyn nodded although she felt far from confident.

The man that had been called Jim, came back out and smiled at both of them. "Which one of you ladies is ready? Bruno has a free chair. Decide what you want yet?" Just then a huge sneeze ripped through the small room followed by another equally as big.

"I'm ready." Candy said, trying to hide her nervousness.

"Come on back, young lady. And oh, don't mind Bruno, but his allergies have been acting up and his eyes have been watering like mad, but he can keep his hands pretty still."

Candy threw a plea of help to her mother and swallowed hard, but followed Jim behind the curtain. Carolyn briefly wondered if she would ever see her daughter again. "Oh stop it." she scolded herself.

Picking up the book that Candy had left in her chair, Carolyn found a section of Gaelic tattoos that caught her attention. Most of them were the many ancient gods and goddess of the area but the ones of the love knots intrigued her. A love knot, the foot note told her was believed in ancient times to tie your soul to the soul of your beloved and there was nothing that could part you. Not even death. She re-read the words several times and studied the different designs carefully. She saw one at the bottom of the page that she instantly knew was what she wanted.

It was a typical knot but intertwined in the curves you could place the initials of your beloved. But would she dare do such a thing? Suddenly it sounded bold and brash and maybe she should just go with the first one she had seen.' But why not, Carolyn? 'she heard her inner voice say.

He was her beloved after all. Beloved--it was a word that was hardly ever used anymore. Yet it was a wonderful word, so appropriate to how she felt about Captain Daniel Gregg. They had talked about it and had confessed the love that was between them. It no longer mattered that it couldn't be acted upon, well most of the time, but it was true just the same.

"Ma'am?" a man she hadn't seen before was standing before her. "Are you ready? Have you decided?"

"Yes, I think so." She made herself get up from the chair and followed him behind the curtain. Candy was lying on her stomach in a chair that resembled the one in a dentist's office. Her face was scrunched up and she was gritting her teeth. "It doesn't hurt much." She assured her mother.

The man arranged Carolyn in the chair and asked her which design she had chosen. She showed him the knot that she had decided on and whispered the initials to him, not ashamed but not wanting Candy to hear for some odd reason.

He shook his head and told her to relax. "Don't worry, it will be over before you know it. I hope you don't mind but I've never done this before, so it will be a new experience for both of us."

Carolyn felt her body grow cold with sudden fear and she tried to get up from the horizontal chair. "I just don't think so." she began, her hands now hot. She looked from the man to Bruno and back to Jim and no one was laughing or smiling. Panic was the best way to describe what she was feeling.

"Mom!" Candy reprimanded her. "He's joking."

Carolyn looked up at the man, her eyes wide, looking to see if he looked like he was joking.

"Just relax." he told her again, not giving away his secret. "Where do you want it?"

After he had worked for a while, Carolyn found she could sit and keep her eyes open at the same time. It did hurt, like crazy, but there were worse things. It felt like, like someone was rubbing her hip, only maybe with a needle. Candy's dog was finished and Bruno was just doing the touchups on it. It was a perfect beautiful little dog face, right at the small of her back. It was Scruffy, Carolyn thought. How sweet. She still missed that dog, even after all this time.

After Candy's was completed, Jim walked out her out of the room. "So," the man asked Carolyn who had identified himself as Cleve, "Which one are you? C or D?"

"I'm C," she said, not thinking it would hurt to tell him that.

"And you don't want your daughter to know about D?"

"Oh, she knows about him, I just..."

"You don't have to explain. If anyone could figure out a woman's mind, they have my sympathies and my envy. So let me guess, he's your daughter's age?"

"No," Carolyn tried not to laugh. "If anything he is the exact opposite."

"Oh, so he's old enough to be YOUR father?" he prodded.

"No." Carolyn winced. He had changed needles and this one was much  
sharper.

"Grandfather?" he was teasing her now, almost flirting.

She knew she shouldn't do it but couldn't resist. "Try great-great grandfather."

Cleve almost dropped his needle, but kept a steady hand. "You're joking."

She felt almost intoxicated from the pain, giddy. "Would I joke about a thing like that?"

Finally he was done and gave her some instructions on how to take care of it and make sure it didn't get infected etc. Carolyn paid Jim and she and Candy walked back out into the chilly night, half expecting to find police cars waiting to catch them in their illegal act.

"Nice family." Jim said, getting ready to close up.

"Yeah, but how come the beautiful ones are always the nutty ones?"

Cleve shook his head in despair. "Come on, let's go home."

Carolyn had to face it, it was time to do the fall cleaning. She had put it off as long as she could but she had to get to the forgotten cobwebs and dirty windows. Martha had kept the house sparkling clean in her years at Gull Cottage and Carolyn always felt slightly guilty that she had not kept up the tradition.

"I've got to get this place ship-shape," she explained to the Captain, "if Candy is going to be bringing that young man home. I won't have him saying that her mother keeps a dirty house."

"I understand your concern, my dear, but the house looks fine to me."

"That's because you are seeing it from a man's point of view. You know I'm not much of a housekeeper." She got a faint smile on her face and her companion demanded to know what was so amusing. "I was just thinking about when I was first married. I used to get so frustrated because I couldn't make this wonderful dish that the cookbook assured me was so easy and Robert used to tell me if he had wanted a cook he would have married Julia Child. He ate the most awful meals."

"You've been thinking about him a lot lately." the Captain stated, trying to keep the jealousy out of his voice but not quite succeeding.

Carolyn hid her smile and turned to face the spirit. "Well being with Candy and meeting Jack did stir up some memories for me. I remember taking Andrew home to meet my parents out of a clear blue sky and telling them we were engaged and they must have felt much the way I did when I found out about Jack."

"Andrew?" his face was a huge question. "I thought your husband's name was Robert?"

"It was. I married Robert Muir, but I was engaged to Andrew Fischer. The week before my wedding, the Fischers threw a huge party for us and I met Robert, he was one of Andrew's fraternity brothers. And well, I, I didn't marry Andrew. But enough of that. If I don't get started I'll never get done."

Starting in the kitchen, she cleaned until noon, taking a break when Captain Gregg brought her lunch on a tray. She thanked him, knowing how belittling it was to him to do woman's work and doing it anyway. After lunch she tackled the spare room which was now Jonathan's and then Candy's room. She briefly wondered if Candy would ever be in this room again except for visiting. How fast they were growing up.

Finally heading for "their room" she decided the closet couldn't be ignored anymore. She was sure there were dresses and shoes she never wore anymore, some of them probably ones she had brought with her 13 years ago. She sorted and fought with herself about what should be kept and what shouldn't, wondering how she had accumulated so much stuff. Her neck muscles ached and she got up to stretch, raising her hands above her head to work the kinks out. From the angle she was standing, she could see a box on the top shelf of the closet. Had she left it there?

She couldn't remember. Deciding to get a closer look, she reached her arm as back as far as it would go, making a sweeping gesture trying to reach the object. One more time should do it, she thought. Her fingers hit the side of the box, she almost had it, just a little bit more.

"Carolyn Muir!" his voice rolled like the thunder he was so fond of conjuring. "Just what is that?"

"You scared me to death." she almost fell to the floor, "What did you do that for?"

"To inquire about that, that, mark I saw on your, umm, skin."

For several moments she was truly perplexed. What was he talking about and why was he looking at her skin? Without thinking, she pulled her shirt down that had crawled up in her pursuit of the box and suddenly she knew. The tattoo! She might as well tell him the truth, she thought. That was one thing she had learned living with him all these years. If you didn't tell the exact truth, he would find it out sooner or later. She wasn't ashamed of the tattoo, she had just hoped he would never find out. "It's a tattoo." she said calmly. "Now if you will excuse me I have more work to do"

"I will NOT excuse you." his voice carried that ring that she knew had made him a good commander. "I would like an explanation. Have you had it long?"

"No," she pushed back a stray piece of hair off her face. "For your information, Candy and I each got one when I was in Boston. It was our mother-daughter activity."

"And whose brilliant idea was this?" he said the word this with disgust. "I thought you to be a civilized woman."

"Oh Captain, please." Carolyn rolled her eyes in despair. "It's not that big a deal. It's just a tattoo. No one can see it but me. It was just a fun thing to do. Let it lie."

"I will not let it lie," he began, but she shook her head defiantly at him.

"What is wrong with it, Captain? Is it in the same category as wearing slacks or a bathing suit?"

"Any true lady would never mar her skin with such a hideous mark."

"Thank you." she said somewhat irritated. "Being a lady is highly over-rated anyway. Now if you will excuse me."

"I am surprised that you would do such a thing, or allow your daughter to partake in such an excursion. And what kind of man would do the job?"

"One who gets money for it." she seethed, more upset then she should be. He didn't know, of course, that the tattoo was really for him, because of him, showing her love for him. But it made her angry all the same. She returned to cleaning the room, the box in the closet all but forgotten. After giving the room a complete cleaning she retired to the bathroom, taking a long bath. The very nerve of him, trying to tell her what she could and could not do. Since they weren't talking, it surprised her when he showed up at 8:00 that evening as he did every evening at that hour to discuss their day and enjoy each other's company. "I didn't think you would come." she said quietly.

"And break an engagement?" his eyes looked deeply into hers. "I want to apologize Carolyn." he said, contritely. "It is none of my affair what you do and I have great problems remembering that."

"I shouldn't have reacted so violently." She was touched by his apology. "It's just that sometimes you make me so angry and I guess I overreact."

"I am not good at explaining myself either. There is something about myself and tattoos that you do not know."

"Besides the fact that you destroyed a tattoo parlor once?" she smiled. It was one of his most interesting stories or had been the first hundred times she had heard it.

"Yes, besides that one. It's much more personal than that."

She looked at him questioningly. "What is it?"

Much to her surprise, the reserved Captain removed his jacket and slowly pulled off his sweater. She hoped her chin hadn't really fallen to her chest like she felt that it had at the sight of his unclothed upper half. She had to admit it, she had wondered numerous times what he must look like, rippling muscles, a body kept in shape by the very nature of his work, but to see that it was really true was overwhelming.

Carolyn felt her cheeks turn red, hoping he didn't notice, which he didn't seem to.

"I have a point in this, Madam." he assured her, turning his back to face her. There on his back in blue and black ink was the most unusual tattoo she had ever seen. It was definitely the head of a woman, but the look in her eyes was almost -- should she think it? -- sensual. Her hair spread across his back, like a wind was blowing it. She looked ethereal, not quite a woman, not quite a being.

"What is that?" Carolyn heard herself ask.

"It's a tattoo." he said matter of factly.

"Well yes, I can see that." she was too rattled to realize he was teasing her. "But what kind, I mean who, what -- why do YOU have it?"

"It's a long story and I'm sure you are much too busy cleaning to take the time to hear it."

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" she asked sheepishly. She had been too engrossed in not only studying the tattoo but the back that it was on. What would it feel like to have that strong back...Stop it! She chided herself. The tattoo was the issue here. "Can I take a closer look at it?"

"You may." he said in a voice that wasn't quite as unemotional as he wanted to think it was.

Telling herself that this was necessary for scientific observation only, she drew closer to him, the desire to reach out and touch him so strong, it made her fingers tingle. It wouldn't do any good, she told herself severely. Now study the tattoo.

"Where did you get it? I mean why did you?" she asked stupidly.

"Are you sure you want to hear the story?" trying to make it sound like it wasn't much to tell. "I believe you said you were tired."

"I did not say that, Daniel Gregg, stop stalling. You can't show me something like that and then not tell me the story behind it. At least yours was probably a legal tattoo." He stared at her words, but didn't say anything. Far too soon, he picked up his sweater and put it back on. Probably a good thing, she thought, she did want to be able to concentrate on what he was going to tell her.

"A freak storm hit while were in the vicinity of the Marquesas Islands and we were barely able to get to land. Some of the native men came down to aid us and we were very content to stay with them for awhile. The storm went on for several days and we decided that since we had a place to stay we would do just that. The natives were very friendly, the men following us around, seeing what kind of trinkets they could get from us, that kind of thing. Several of my men noticed that the women were sort of stand offish, which greatly disturbed them."

"I'm sure it did." Carolyn rolled her eyes.

"We soon discovered that the more tattoos a man had, the better his status in the tribe. Several of my men inquired into receiving one and the natives heartily agreed."

"And I suppose you wanted to set an example by getting one yourself." she couldn't help but remark.

He glared at her but continued with his story. "The process was an extremely painful one, and the fact that a man survived it showed his bravery. The man would sit on the ground, the upper part of his body thrown back, his head leaning on the knees of another man, while yet another man held him still. The tattooer would use a small hammer to pierce the skin and then would use a comb-like instrument that looked somewhat like a needle to fill in the design with color. On occasion, depending on the type of tattoo, he would use a piece of obsidian or human bone that had a sharp point. The ink was kept in a clamshell and the needle was dipped into the substance whenever necessary. The whole procedure took several hours and was very painful. I had to lie on my stomach for three days. But in the end, it was worth it." and he had a smug look on his face.

"So what or who is that on your tattoo?" she was curious.

"I don't remember." his smile faded. "It's just a traditional Marquese tattoo. You can't expect me to remember that after all these years."

If she hadn't been curious before she certainly was now. This was someone who could tell you what he had for breakfast on July 10, 1846 so she didn't buy it for one moment he couldn't remember. She had to know and she would know. Didn't she have to go to Bangor for any reason? Surely she did.

Three days later she had a legitimate reason to drive to Bangor when Jonathan needed some additional money for school and she decided she would wire it to him. The Schooner Bay library had had little to offer on the subject and she was dying to read more about the tattoos of New Zealand and their meanings. Especially since the Captain had  
been so close-lipped about the whole thing. One good thing about it, he hadn't asked any more questions about her tattoo either.

After running her errand she went into the library and inquired at the reference desk about the area where she could learn about body art.

The young librarian who helped her was more than eager to do anything he could for her and she found herself telling him several times that she just wanted to look and if she needed any more help she would come and get him. After she pulled several books off the shelf, she took them to a table and pulled out her pen and pencil, intent on some serious research.

It took about an hour of looking before she found what she was looking for, but when she found it, she scanned the pages eagerly. Here it told about the tattoos of the Marquese Islands and like the Captain had thought, the more a man had, the better he was considered in this village. "_Some areas tattooed the tongue, lips and eyelids" _she read. _"These brought courage to the man who survived it."_

"Strange, that was the word the Captain used too -- survived." She whispered. Reading the description of the process, just like he had told her, made her wince as it had then. And she had thought she had endured pain.

Reading further down, she read the end paragraph and knew she had read it wrong. It had to be wrong. It didn't really say that. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath and opened them again, re-reading the paragraph.

_'Many tattoos were designed to make the body more attractive to theopposite sex and western travelers to these islands soon learned that the native women were afraid of these desperately bare men. The women were certain that evil spirits must reside inside the skin of these men who were pink and bare and they resisted granting the sailors sexual favors.' _

"Sexual favors, indeed!" Carolyn said a little too loudly, causing the man at the next table to turn and look at her. Turning the next page, she came face to face with the tattoo that Captain Gregg had on his back _'Ancient fertility goddess of the islands'_, the caption read. _"The man who possessed her portrait on his skin was a highly favored partner as it was known that evil spirits could not be exchanged in the close contact and it would make him strong and virile.'_

"Daniel Gregg!" her face turned red and she felt her anger raise. No wonder he hadn't wanted to tell her what the tattoo was for. The very nerve of him. How dare he?

Shutting the book firmly, she got up from her chair, leaving the books on the table. With determined steps, she walked to her car, trying to reason all of this out. He had a tattoo on his back of a fertility goddess so he could, so he could... Oh, she couldn't even think the words quietly. So women would want him, she managed to say to herself.

All the way home she thought about it, seethed about it, felt her anger get the best of her. Boy, was she going to let him have it when she got home. He would never, ever, hear the end of this one from her.

Walking quietly into the house, he was still there waiting for her by the front door, that look she loved so much on his face. "You were late." he said to her. "I was afraid you got tied up."

"I stopped by the library before I came home," she told him, trying not to look at him and failing miserably.

"And what did you do at the library?" his voice growing somewhat cold.

That is none of your concern." she said walking past him.

It was two days later that he demanded she stop her childishness and tell him what he had done this time.

"Daniel Gregg, how could you? " she blurted out. "I can't believe that you actually let them give you a tattoo so that women, women would have sex with you." she spat the words out.

"That was over a hundred years ago." he counteracted. "I was a young man on a island full of beautiful women. I was only human."

She looked deeply into his blue eyes and found herself wanting to swim in the blueness. But she mustn't get distracted. "Yes, you were." she agreed. "You were only human."

"I won't apologize for it." he continued, "I might have been a bit foolhardy but I was quite young and while that is no excuse, it is the best one I have. That and they were beautiful women."

"Sometimes I forget that you were indeed very much alive." she said, "It's so easy to think of you as always being as you are now."

He nodded his head in agreement with her statement. "Sometimes I forget as well. But everyday you make me glad for the existence that I have."

She wished she could put her arms around him and tell him she understood and was no longer angry with him but instead she smiled. "I'm sorry, Daniel. Sometimes I forget that you weren't always mine."

His smile made her feel warm all over. "So what is your tattoo of?" he asked.

"Now, where did that come from?" she smiled at the way he had abruptly changed the subject.

"Fair is fair. I didn't get a good look at it."

"And you won't, either." she declared, starting down the steps.

He stepped in front of her. "If you don't let me see it. I'll..."

Life was back to normal at Gull Cottage.


End file.
